Sickness of the heart
by moonlightdreamer1
Summary: My first fic of this type, go easy on my ok. Lister gets struck down with an illness. A fluffy and dramatic Slash, so don't read if you don't like. A Lister/Rimmer/Ace triangle kind of. I suck at summeries.
1. Chapter 1

I don't own any of these characters the BBC does, this is my first fic for this show so be nice ok. Set some were between Legion and Stoke me a clipper. If you don't like fluff or Lister, Rimmer Ace triangles then I seriously suggest you don't read this. Please go easy on the spelling I have dyslexia, the spell checker has been used.

Sickness of the heart.

Part one:

Rimmer felt sick, the reason for this sickness was that Ace had dropped in to pay the crew of red dwarf a visit, some how the alternate version of himself always managed to make him feel so incredibly ill.

Ace was currently standing not far from him talking to Kryton about his latest adventures when Dave came quietly into the mess, he looked pail and was wavering on his feet.

Of cause Ace being as perfect as he was, the hero was first to notice something was wrong with Dave. "Davie-boy what's wrong?"

"I dunno I had a headache for a few days, but now I feel like a pile of smeg." The man wavered on his feet again, his eyes slid shut and Ace shot forward just in time to catch Dave as his limp form fell down wards. Carefully the test pilot lifted him up into his arms, the mechanic lay there in the hero's strong arms, limp as a rag doll and so very pail.

Quickly Ace turned to Kryton. "Run ahead of me and get the sick bay ready."

"Yes sir!" The mechanoid responded promptly, dashing off as fast as he could for the sick bay.

The hero followed along behind him being very carefully with the unconscious man, unsure why he was doing so Arnold trailed along quietly behind the two of them. . .

Soon the test pilot was in the sick bay very cautiously he lowered Dave onto the bed Kryton had prepared for him and moved back whilst the mechanoid did some tests. Krytons brow furrowed with confusion and Ace noticed. "What is it?"

"This is like no illness I have ever seen before sir, it's not attacking his body it is like it's going after his emotions."

Ace sat down beside Dave with shock. "I know what illness that is." He said very softly.

"You do sir?" The droid asked.

"Yes, in my reality we call it Emovirus. Years ago a mad scientist created a virus based on the idea that the best way to kill some one was emotionally, so basically this illness devours peoples every emotion killing them very slowly."

Kryton gasped and fixed his eyes on Dave. "Is there no way to stop it?"

"Yes, it can be stopped. The Dave in my reality had the virus and survived, but that was only because we all helped him."

Intrigued Kryton spoke. "How did you all help him?"

"The virus has to be killed, the only way to do that is to give that person hope and love. I'll need to adjust your scanners so we can see what emotion it will go after first, but my guess would be the heart ones"

"The heart ones sir?"

"Sorry a term used in my reality, the virus always tried to destroy love and hope first, they are stored in the heart. Once those emotions weakens the rest is easy for it to devour." The hero got up he adjusted some of the screens, they flickered for a moment and then Kryton and Arnold could see before them Dave's heart with a shinning barrier round it and something dark attacking it for all sides. "I'm surprised Davie-boy held up against it this long. Be warned this will get worse before it gets better, it will hurt him a lot and I hate to say it but Davie-boy could die. Now I'll show you what to do. "

This said Ace quietly sat back down next to Dave and took one hand in his. "Davie-boy, you can't give up, you have to fight it man!" He said strongly to the technician.

The barrier on the screen seemed to actually glow brighter and the thing attacking it retreated for a moment. Quietly Ace looked up at the other two and then spoke softly. "See what I mean?"

"Yes sir I see." Kryton answered.

"So he needs hope . . . and love." Arnold whispered.

"Yes he does, which may be a problem, as his lady isn't in this reality." The hero said with a sigh. "We shall just have to pray that we can be enough for him."

"Oh please! Save that idiotic excuse for a human! Why bother?!" Rimmer said forcefully.

Ace stared at him with shock, then he quickly turn to Dave as he arched up off the bed crying out in pain, the black thing inside getting larger and stronger off of those negative words. Quickly the hero stood and grabbed the Liverpudlians shoulders in his strong hands. "Dave no, don't listen to him, you know he's an idiot. Dave come on don't let it get to you!"

Kryton stood on the other side. "Please Mr David sir!"

Suddenly Dave went very still and limp in the hero's grasp, gently Ace settled him back down, then turned to Arnold and glared angrily at the Hologram. "How could you, after all I had said! You spineless moron, if you can't say anything positive then get out!" The hero quickly chased his other self from the room and then quietly went back to Dave's side.

Slowly the hero sat back down next to him and held one of the mechanics hands again. "I apologise for that cretin Davie-boy, he doesn't mean what he says to you, I'm afraid he just doesn't know what else to say."

Slowly Ace reached out with the other hand he gently stroked the side of Dave's face. "Come on you can beat it, I know you can. I have faith in you Dave."

Over the next few days both the Cat and Kryton took turns sitting with Dave, Rimmer as advised by his other self staid away from sick bay. Ace though was another matter he hardly ever left the sick man's side and was always near by should the other man take a turn for the worse.

This morning Ace was sitting in the mess quietly eating brakefast, when Rimmer came in, the hologram saw his other self and winced but determined not to be forced out of the mess by the hero he hated sat down near to his other self and looked across at him.

Noticing another presence for the first time quietly Ace looked back at Rimmer, the hologram was shocked to see the state he was in, the hero was pail and drawn, big bags under his eyes. "Are you all right?" He couldn't help but ask the test pilot softly.

"No not really, but Dave needs me I can't rest until he is better."

"But you look so tired and so worn out."

"Believe me I am both of those things right now. However being a hero is about giving all you have and I can't just leave poor Dave like that." He explained to the other man softly.

"Is it that bad?" Rimmer asked him quietly.

Ace let out a deep sigh. "Yes, it's getting worse, it always dose before it ether gets better or they die. The shield round Dave's heart is just about holding but, he needs more love, more hope. The little blighter is getting more desperate to get at that love and hope in his heart. The love Davie-boy has is bloody strong I can say that much for it, I'd love to know if It dose belong to who I thought it did or if it actually belongs to some some one else." Ace looked at strait at Arnold as he said this.

The hologram looked back at him with a clueless expression on his face and the hero sighed again. "Never mind."

They were interrupted by Cat dashing in. "Hey dude you better come quickly, the Apes having another attack!"

Ace went to stand when he felt a hand firmly gripping his wrist, slowly the hero turned to look at Arnold, who holding his wrist spoke to him quietly. "Your wiped out, I'll go to him."

"But. . ." The test pilot went to protest.

Quickly Arnold cut him off. "Don't argue. Go and get some rest, take full advantage of me having found a tiny little bit of back bone for once in my life."

Quickly the hard light hologram exited the room going after Cat to the sick bay were Dave still was. Ace sat back down in the chair and a small smile lifted the corner of his mouth, maybe finally Arnold was going to realise what he really felt for Dave, the hero honestly hoped that the moron would.


	2. Chapter 2

Part two

Rimmer raced into the sick bay to see Lister still pale, his brow shimmering with sweat. His back arched off the bed, the moans and whimpers of pain making Arnold wince as he quickly dashed over to the bedside. The Cat and Kryten glanced at him, surprised, but didn't ask any questions.

Rimmer stroked Dave's face softly, taking one of the man's hands in his own as he looked over at the monitor. The black thing was much bigger now, completely surrounding the barrier round Dave's heart.

"Lister I'm here, I came to see you," he whispered, noticing out of the corner of his eye how the barrier shine brightly for a moment at his words. "I'm sorry I was a smeg head," Rimmer added, leaning forward so that he could gently rest his forehead against his.

How long he stayed like this, whispering soft words of comfort to Dave, he wasn't sure. Eventually the attack subsided and Dave fell back exhausted against the bed, leaving Arnold to slowly pull back whilst still keeping a protective grasp of the hand he held. As he looked round, he noticed that the Cat and Kryten had left them alone, and for that he was grateful.

Rimmer reached out with his free hand and carefully stroked Lister's hair. "Try and rest now, I'm here."

Quietly, the hologram sat down next to him, watching his unconscious friend for a time that refused to be defined. Finally exhaustion got the better of him and he closed his eyes.

A hand on Rimmer's shoulder startled him from his sleep, as he glanced up to see Ace, who was looking a little better for his rest. For the first time, united in their mutual wish to keep Dave safe with them, the two men were able to smile at one another.

"He seems to be doing better," Ace whispered softly to his other self.

"Is that good?"

"Yes Arnold, it's good. Though we're not out of the woods yet. We won't be 'till he wakes up, and even then Davie-boy will be weak."

"Well now you're feeling better you can take over."

"I'm sure Dave would like you to be here with him a lot more then me," Ace replied with a large smile.

Arnold smiled back a little sadly at his other self. "Now there you're wrong. It's you he thinks highly of, not me."

There came a gasp from the bed as Lister let out a long, painful moan. Ace and Arnold flew to his side, the hero claiming one hand, the hologram the other. Glancing across to the screen, Arnold noticed that the barrier was weakening again. Ace noticed too, grasping Lister's hand tighter than ever.

"Oh no you don't!" The hero protested.

Rimmer stroked the back of the hand he held. "Please Dave, fight it. You've got to, you have so much to live for."

"Arnold's right, you have to live," Ace echoed. "I know how you feel, as I feel the same way too. I should have said something but it was completely impossible."

Ace knew that he had to get this out. Sure most of his other selves had been butter side up, but not him. Maybe if he told Dave he wasn't alone, it would help him to fight the virus.

Shocked, the hologram looked across the bed at his other self to see one sparking tear tracking down his face.

"I wasn't wanted, they loved someone else already," Ace continued, torn. "But you. You've got that chance, if only you'd fight for it. If only if you'd live, you'd have the chance I didn't. Come on Dave, you're one of the bravest people I know. Just admit what you feel to yourself and use it to fight the bugger."

"What do you mean?" Rimmer whispered to Ace, who returned his expectant gaze with a sad smile.

"Dave is in love Arnold, with someone he thinks that he can never have. But he can still use that love as a weapon to fight the virus off if he chooses. But he's choosing not to," Ace explained softly.

"That's stupid. If it can help him then why isn't he using it?"

"Because Dave is afraid scared of what might happen, afraid it might not work."

"Just because she's dead he wants to give up?!" The hologram cried in shock.

Dave arched up off the bed moaning painfully, the virus making a large dent in the shimmering shield. Ace gripped his hand tighter as Rimmer suddenly reached out for Dave, grabbing hold of him and pulling the sick man away from Ace and into a tight embrace.

"No, no, don't give up! She may not be here, but we are!"

Dave let out another howl of pain. Rimmer could see the monitor over his shoulder as the dent got deeper. "No! Dave!"

Ace pulled Arnold away, quickly taking the hologram's place in holding the ill man. Gently, he reached up and pulled off the wig, the other version of himself staring wide eyed at him. "I'm here," he uttered, with a voice more like Arnold's than Ace's. "I won't leave you."

Arnold watched as the virus got hit back threw the dent by something, he turned back to them. "That's right Dave fight it, I'm here with you, I'm going to help you fight this thing and win I'm not going to run away and leave you all alone."

The holograms eyes widened, light seemed to spread out from the heart pushing the virus back again, that was hope Arnold realised suddenly. Ace was watching it too and smiled at the unconscious Liverpudlian and tightened his grip on him. "I'm not going to let go."

The sight of Ace holding Dave like this, the words the hero spoke, they made something inside Rimmer snap, how dare he! "Oh yes you bloody well are going to let go!" Cut in Rimmer's voice.

Slowly Ace turned towards him, to see Arnold his face full of anger. "Why would I do that?"

"Dave isn't yours, Ace Rimmer, Dave is mine! Now let go!" Even as he spoke Arnold was surprised by himself, by the strength in those words and by the fact he meant them, truly meant them.

Surprised the hero gently lay Dave back down, he put his wig back on and moved away from the ill man's bedside. "Then I suggest you tell Dave that and everything else you really feel, after all you've seen now threw me how his heart reacts to you. Oh one more thing if after this you go back to hating him and being mean to him, I will never forgive you for it and I will take him away from you. Is that quiet understood?"

Dumbly Arnold nodded his answer to that question and quietly Ace left them alone, he found and informed the others on the ship to do like wise.

Quickly the hologram went over to the bed, gently he lay down on the bed along side Dave and held him close. "That idiot Ace, your mine not his, I love you Dave. . . I know I've been stupid, blind and more the unkind to you but it was the only way to hide it from you and the only way to keep you going." Slowly Arnold closed his eyes and snuggled into Lister.

A few moments later the hologram looked up at his face, it was gentle, with a small smile on Listers lips, softly Arnold smiled back and took a quick look at the screen, the barrier was big bright and strong, the virus was slowly backing off.

Arnold felt like whooping for joy but instead settled for hugging Dave a little tighter and then kissing his forehead. Slowly Rimmer closed his eyes, he took in Listers scent not as beer and curry like as he thought it would be, there was a definite hint of pine to it. Then with a very happy sigh the hologram fell into what was as close to sleep as he ever got.


	3. Chapter 3

Special thanks to cazfibs who has been betering this for me! Thank you so very much and now back to the story!

Part three:

Slowly Lister came to, his dark eyes roving the room and immediately recognising it as the Sick Bay. As he tried to sit up, he felt hands on his shoulders gently but firmly stopping him. He was stunned to find Rimmer sitting beside his bed.

A look of pure relief and happiness engulfed the hologram's face, and Lister suddenly found himself being hugged hard by Rimmer. With a small smile, he returned the embrace.

"God you had us all so worried, you idiot."

"I did? How long was I ill for?" He asked quietly, suddenly aware of how close they were and, strangely, how good it felt to be held by him.

Rimmer didn't relax his protective hold. "About two weeks. You almost died a few times."

"Well I pulled through," Lister replied with a small shaky laugh.

"And that's thanks to Arnold here," said Ace from the doorway.

Lister glanced quickly at the hero then back to Rimmer who was blushing like mad.

"Really it was nothing," Rimmer insisted. "But Ace tells us that you're going to be weak after that illness, so lots of rest I'm afraid."

Lister let out a suffering groan but didn't try to get up, instead keeping his gaze firmly fixed on the hologram. Quietly Ace walked over to the bedside and smiled down at him. "Now don't you fret. I'm sure Arnold here will keep you company."

Lister watched as Rimmer blushed again. "Of course I'll keep him company. That is, if Dave would like me to."

Dave. . . it was the first time Rimmer had called him that when he wasn't in some sort of trouble. Wordlessly he reached out, and placed his hand on Rimmer's. "I'd like that Arnold."

It had been generally agreed amongst the rest of the crew that no one would tell Lister exactly what the sickness had been beyond a very nasty virus. Rimmer had explained that he wanted to tell him in his own time what had happened. And more importantly, what it had made him realise.

Over the next two weeks, Arnold and Ace were often to be found with Lister, the two men carefully nursing him back to health. Arnold kept wishing his double would go away. Not because the man made him physically sick every time he looked at him anymore, but because he simply hated him being around Lister. Sure, he was yet to tell Lister how he really felt about him, but how was he supposed to with Captain Fantastic hanging around all the time?

Arnold was just about to enter the Sick Bay, when he stopped suddenly at the sound of Ace's voice. Peering around the corner, he noticed Ace was sitting talking to Lister.

"You know I should have told him, I really did love him."

Gently, Lister reached up and patted his shoulder. "I know the feeling man. Loving someone. Wanting to tell them but being so afraid that not only could they reject you, but you'd lose everything you ever had with them."

Ace smiled sadly. "I'm glad I talked to you, Davey-boy. You've made me feel much better." He paused for a moment before continuing. "You should tell him, you know," he nodded, before turning away. "Don't lose the chance like I did."

"I've tried," Lister implored. "But every time I feel like the timing is just not right."

Ace shrugged. "Well, you never know. He might beat you to it."

"Rimmer beat me to it? Somehow I don't think he will," Lister replied quickly with a small, shaky laugh.

"You may be surprised. Your illness has changed him."

Lister smiled softly up at Ace. "Yeah I know, it's nice. I feel like I can relax around him now and let how I really see him show a little."

Ace nodded distantly. "That's good." He stood quickly. "Well, I should go prep my ship for my departure."

Despite shrinking back into the shadows of the corridor, Ace still spotted Arnold as he left, throwing him a conspiratorial wink before walking on.

Rimmer felt himself blush, waiting a few moments before entering the sick bay himself. "Hey Lister, I thought I saw Ace leave?"

Lister brightened. "Yeah, you did. We were having a chat."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah, it was good to talk to him."

Rimmer sat down on the chair beside Lister's bed. "You'll be glad to hear that you'll be able to get up soon."

"That's good."

Lister nodded absently, as the awkward silence between them grew. Eventually, he couldn't stand it any longer.

"So what happened whilst I was sick?" he asked curiously. He'd asked the question several times, but beyond the simple facts no one had told him much.

Rimmer swallowed nervously. It looked like it was time to try and be honest with him. "You had what's known as the Emovirus," he explained flatly. "It kills people by sucking out their emotions, draining them dry."

"Wow, sounds nasty."

"Believe me it was. The only way for you to survive was for us all to keep you positive, to fill you with hope and love." The hologram blushed once again, a little unsure what Lister was going to make of what he was trying to convey but avoid saying.

"Hope and love?" Lister mused. "The hope I understand, but were did the love come from?" Lister pressed gently, a slight tone of hope in his voice and eyes as they rested on Rimmer.

"Where the love came from?" Rimmer stuttered. "Well..." Rimmer willed himself to say it. His mouth gaped open and closed wordlessly like a goldfish, but he was just too much of a coward to spit the words out. "The love that saved you genuinely doesn't matter," he finished eventually. "You're still here and that's the one thing that does matter."

Lister sat up quickly in the bed and fixed Rimmer with a steely gaze. "But who or where that love came from does matter to me, Arnold! I want to know!"

The hologram jumped visibly, slightly surprised by how fierce Lister sounded. He swallowed nervously, once more trying to confess, trying to say it. But still the words refused to shift and embarrassment overwhelmed him instead. "I'm sorry, I can't...I can't...say."

Dave felt as if Rimmer had physically hit him. Quickly he lay back down on the bed, pulling up the sheets and turning away. "Fine then," he replied tightly. "I just guess I'll never know who loved me enough to try and save me. I need some rest if you don't mind."

Rimmer stood and left the room as if he couldn't wait to be out of there and away from him. Once Lister was sure he was gone, he curled up in a small ball and fought back the tears. It hadn't been Rimmer who had given him the love then. After what Ace had said he'd been so sure... But it had just been a vain hope, a stupid dream.


	4. Chapter 4

Part four:

When Rimmer returned to the sick bay later in the day Lister was gone, the hologram gasped he dropped the book that he had been carrying, it fell as if in slow motion to the floor, quickly he dashed from the room and began searching for the still weak man threw he ship.

The hologram came across Cat first. "CAT! Have you seen Lister!"

"No man I thought he was with you!" The Cat said to him confused.

Not bothering to answer him Arnold quickly forged on, next he found Kryton. "Have you seen Dave."

"No sir I haven't." He answered just as confused as the cat had been.

The hologram stood for a while caching his breath and trying to think what to do next, when a sudden idea came to him. "Holly! Rimmer yelled surprised that he hadn't thought of asking her first, then again he had been taken by surprise at Dave's disappearance.

The computer came on. "Yes Arnold what is it?"

"Were is Dave?"

"One moment searching, I found him!" The image flickered up on the screen, Dave was laying on the floor of one of the decks his eyes shut shoulder shaking. Then Ace appeared on the screen, he saw Dave, the hero's eyes widened and he ran to were the other man lay.

Slowly Ace knelt down and gently lifted him, holding Dave close the pilot muttered something to him, slowly the other man's eyes opened, his face crumpled and he hid in the hero's jacket his shoulder shaking once more.

Gently the hero stroked his hair, held Dave close to him and then the hero began to move threw the ship still the mechanic.

The images flickered off and Holly reappeared. "Holly were are they going?" Rimmer asked desperately.

"I would have said that they are going to Ace's ship. I think that the hero is taking Dave away with him."

Rimmer fled the room, Ace's promise going round in his head and his own stupid words echoing in his mind.

The hologram was racing along heading for were he knew Ace's ship was docked, Arnold knew that he wouldn't make it they had to much of a head start on him but he had to try to make it before Ace launched. His stupid shyness was about to rob him of the one person he really had come to love with all of his soul and he just couldn't let him go. . .

Arnold dashed into the landing bay just as Aces ship took off, he could clearly see Dave curled up in the pilots lap. "Dave!" He cried out ion vain but it was obvious that above all the noise that Dave couldn't hear him.

Aces ship went off into space, Arnold's legs gave out from under him and he sank to the floor, silent tears ran down his face. "I'm such an idiot. Why could I just say what I felt? Why didn't I just say Dave I love you, I always have and I always will. I could have explained to him that instead I just hid it, to protect myself and you, I thought you wouldn't want me but now I know you do and I'm so happy."

"You love me?" Asked a voice he knew well, Arnold turned to see Lister propped up against a wall, quickly the hologram found his feet and went over to him.

Arnold knelt down in front of Lister. "I thought you'd gone with him."

"No but I almost did, but Ace convinced me to give you one more chance."

The hologram smiled at Lister widely. "Then I owe him big time." Gently he lifted the recently ill man into his arms. Carefully Lister put his arms round the one man he had been in love with for god only knew how many years.

Rimmer looked down at him and decided this was long over due. "I love you Dave."

"I love you too Arnold." Softly Lister lay his head on the holograms shoulder and let Arnold carry him back to there room.

Gently the hologram lay him down on their bunk and smiled down at him. "I love you so much."

Lister held out his arms to Rimmer, smiling the hologram lent into the loving embrace and climbed onto the bed with him. Gently they leant towards each other and kissed softly, suddenly Arnold threw him arms round Dave and pulled him close, the mechanic smiled and returned the embrace glad to finally be held by him. Slowly the pulled apart from the kiss grinning at each other like a pair of idiots, they had finally found one another.

The end.


End file.
